You can do this on your own or with a friend, or maybe even host a “Deodorant-Making Party” with friends, who will be delighted to take home what might be the loveliest, most useful and pampering party favor they’ve ever received.
You need 3-4 ingredients to make your own container of deodorant, which will surprise you by its effectiveness, pleasant scent, and cost (approximately $1.50 for one container that is the same size as store-bought). It is so easy to make that we wonder why we haven’t been doing this for years. (We even tested effectiveness after a sweaty ballet class!)
Here’s the simple recipe. No need to be exact. After stirring, pour into a small container of your choice (we’ve used a travel container and a mini tea tin) and place in refrigerator for an hour or so. It will become almost solid. You can then keep it in the bathroom, where it will soften to an easy-to-use spreadable consistency.
PAMPERING NATURAL DEODORANT RECIPE
One-third cup baking soda
One-fourth cup cornstarch
A few tablespoons of coconut oil (which you can bake and cook with too; we just used it in muffins and blueberry pancakes with tantalizing results)
A few drops of essential oil (we used rose oil)
Here’s my 90-second demonstration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yIAgVv9lQA
Update, February 2014: We are still making our own deodorant, but we now make it in smaller quantities (it lasts a long time) and we don’t even have to measure our ingredients. We also have decided we can leave out the cornstarch (which mainly decreases moistures but not odor). Baking soda and a bit of coconut oil (to turn baking soda into a paste) stirred up in a small glass bowl and a few drops of lavender oil have become our favorite combination. We continue to find our homemade deodorant far more effective than store-bought products.
